Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Book Review: IQ Testing 101 by Alan Kaufman




Anyone involved in the field of intelligence testing is familiar with the work of Dr. Alan Kaufman, a leading expert on interpretation of the Wechsler intelligence batteries, an author of his own intelligence tests, and a scholar/researcher who has published extensively in professional psychology journals on various aspects of intelligence and intelligence testing.

This past week I was pleased to receive a copy of his new book:  IQ Testing 101.  The number of books and published articles re: intelligence testing is beyond comprehension by any single reader.  Thus, although only having skimmed select sections at this time, I can say that this is the book I would recommend to anyone who wants an easy-to-read, accurate, introductory overview of the past and current state-of-the-art of the field of intelligence testing.  It appears to be an excellent book for those first learning about intelligence testing and for non-psychologists (e.g., physicians, lawyers, etc.) who want to become familiar with the basics of the field of IQ testing. 

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Why Would Anyone Want to Read a Book About IQ Testing?
Chapter 2: History, Part 1: Who Invented the IQ Test?
Chapter 3: History, Part 2: At Long LastTheory Meets Practice
Chapter 4: The IQ Construct, Part 1: We All Know What IQs AreDont We?
Chapter 5: The IQ Construct, Part 2: How Accurate Are IQ Tests?
Chapter 6: Hot Topic: Is IQ Genetic?
Chapter 7: Hot Topic: Are Our IQs Fixed or Are They Malleable?
Chapter 8: Hot TopicIQ and Aging: Do We Get Smarter or Dumber as We Reach Old Age?
Chapter 9: Hot TopicIQ Tests in the Public Forum: Lead Level, Learning Disabilities, and IQ
Chapter 10: The Future of IQ Tests

References
Index